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Saturday, June 27, 2015

High summer can feel like a 'dead' time for birdwatchers; spring migration is over and serious fall movements seem like an eternity away. But it's not a signal to lay down binoculars and cameras, it's a chance to look at what else is out there - and to expect the unexpected. Summer is an interesting time in the natural world and broadening your horizons and studying other natural groups can certainly be a great way to occupy yourself. Over the past couple of weeks, I have had a couple of opportunities to get involved in some non-birding events, in association with other natural history groups in the area. As a birder, I might have decided to spend the time around the house, sorting out domestic chores and dealing with a whole bunch of other affairs that might keep me indoors. Instead, as an all-round naturalist, I was out in the field at a time when little was being reported, and discovered that there is so much that we can all add to our knowledge of the natural world. By being outside, and by keeping careful and accurate records of what we see, we can all contribute to the bigger picture and fill in the gaps in our collective knowledge.

When it comes to protecting rare or threatened species, we have a good system in place for ensuring that these species are looked after through a structured legal system. But knowing which species we should label as rare or threatened depends wholly on field work, and that is where local naturalists can help. If we rely simply on state officials to do the legwork, it would take an awful lot longer to get an accurate idea of the distribution and population estimates of species. Getting out in the field and expecting the unexpected is not only important, it's great fun. But then we all need to follow up with our finds and get them reported so that we can ensure that we can continue to enjoy the natural world around us. In South Jersey, we have some very active botanical, entomological and ornithological groups, all of which can be reached online and all of which would love to hear about your interesting finds. If you think you have something interesting, takes notes, take photos (always important if you can manage it!) and send in the information. If you don't know who to contact, you can always contact us at Cape May Bird Observatory, we'd love to hear from you.

As for my own 'unexpecteds' of late, here's a few photos of some Cape May finds to get you fired up to go out and see what you can find. I might also add to this the wonderful Great Spangled Fritillary that twice flew around me for prolonged views at Hidden Valley last Sunday but never once settled for a photograph... Most days, you won't find anything startling but, the day that you go out and don't see something of interest, is the day to think about hanging up your optics - and that would be a sad day indeed!

The unexpected may not always be a rare species, but rather a rare opportunity. Recently I was driving along a dirt road when a Seaside Sparrow decided to land right on the road and hang out for a while. This is a very common saltmarsh species, but typically these birds will keep themselves well-hidden. Always having the camera to hand is the best way to make the best of these rare opportunities. [Photo by Mike Crewe]

Recently my wife and I were on the trail of Dwarf Azalea, a species that is listed as State Endangered in New Jersey and which has a world distribution that extends only along the coastal plain from New Jersey to Georgia. Having found some at a known site, we then chanced across an extensive population of this species elsewhere in the county, adding to our knowledge of the range and distribution of this attractive plant. Although collected as early as 1743, this plant was overlooked and not formally described for science until 1913. As such, it does not appear in many of the earlier plant books and may well be overlooked. Careful recording and study will help us to better understand the range of this species and thus be better placed to ensure its survival. [Photo by Mike Crewe]

Another species listed as State Endangered is the Pine Barrens Treefrog. Although it can be locally quite common, this species is protected as its habitat is very vulnerable to being permanently damaged, so we need to be aware of its distribution so that we can best ensure that suitable habitat is protected in appropriate areas. The official page for this species on the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife website does not indicate this species as occurring in Cape May. Despite this, a number of diligent naturalists have noted this species here, and those of us on a joint botanical and entomological field trip were delighted when Jamie Cromartie (associate professor of environmental studies at Stockton College and now awesome frog catcher) spotted this little beastie just hanging out on a dirt track in Belleplain State Forest. Pine Barrens Treefrogs are clearly in our area! [Photo by Mike Crewe]

And, of course, it is not just me that gets a chance to enjoy the unexpected. We all know that Prothonotary Warbler is a top prize for those who wait patiently in mosquito-ridden maple swamps. So imagine the delight of Pat & Clay Sutton when they were treated to a pair of Prothonotaries nesting in a wren basket that swings from a hook on the front porch of their house! If you got this phone call and it wasn't Pat and Clay, you would definitely get the feeling that the observer had been hitting the bottle! But again, the power of a camera helps to establish your claim. [Photo by Mike Crewe]

NJDEP's Natural Heritage Program ranks species rarity according to our knowledge of distribution and population density (among other things). All of this information is based upon sound, demonstrable observation in the field and ensures that the rarer species are monitored and protected. Currently, Mocha Emerald is listed as an S2 species (state imperiled) because of apparent rarity - S2 indicates 6 to 20 occurrences in the state in recent years. However, this is an elusive species; it is dull brown and habitually flies low in wet woodland, well away from the eyes of the average passer-by. Over the past four years, we have located this species at five different locations (the one above being photographed just a few days ago) in Cape May County - a county which officially has no records for this species. So having keen eyes out there can actually help us to locate species that may in fact be more common than we might think. [Photo by Mike Crewe]

I deliberately finished on a rare dragonfly since it leads me nicely into a little plug for our regular dragonfly workshop which takes place on Saturday, July 11th this year. We'll have a short tutorial on dragonfly ecology, then spend the rest of the day in the field, learning how to identify dragonflies and studying their behavior. Past workshops have given us a wide range of species, from tiny Citrine Forktails to brutal Dragonhunters. For more details, contact our program registrar on 609-861-0700. I look forward to spending time with you in the field - let's see if we can find the unexpected!

Monday, June 22, 2015

In honor of last week being Sea Turtle Week, I thought I
would write about our resident marine reptiles and their relatives. Okay, I
know what you’re thinking, “We don’t get Sea Turtles in Cape May.” True, they
don’t nest here, but you can surely see them by boat once you get offshore. Also,
I completely missed World Turtle Day, which was May 23rd, so here is
my belated turtle-related post.

A Loggerhead Sea Turtle seen about 50 miles offshore during a recent pelagic birding trip. Though these turtles don't come onto our beaches to nest, a solid number can be spotted by boat. One even hung out in one of the salt marshes around Cape May last summer. [Photo by Jesse Amesbury.]

Most people know the basic life cycle of the world’s seven
species of sea turtles and you may even be familiar with the biological mystery
of where juvenile sea turtles went from the time they hatched to sub-adulthood
known as “the lost years”. Now, thanks to research from the mid 1980’s, we know
these little cuties hatch from our beaches and head out to the Sargasso Sea
where they ride around on mats of sargassum algae, eating small fish and
invertebrates they find within their floating microcosm. Unfortunately, these sargassum mats
attract pollution in addition to young animals. Pieces of plastic and
Styrofoam, monofilament fishing line, and oil can all be readily found amongst
the algae.

Plastic pollution is currently one of the greatest hazards
to our oceans, especially plastic bags and Mylar balloons. All seven species of
sea turtles regularly eat jellyfish, with one species in particular, the
Leatherback Sea Turtle, who specializes predominatelyon
jellyfish. To a turtle, a floating plastic bag or balloon looks a lot like a
jelly. If they don’t choke, or the toxins within the material don’t kill them,
then many turtles starve to death with a belly full of plastic. It’s not a pleasant
death, and it’s not isolated to turtles. Countless species of dolphins, whales,
sharks, tuna, and birds like Albatross are impacted by this plastic pollution.
You may be surprised by how many balloons make it into our oceans. A couple
weeks ago I was on a pelagic birding trip where we fished out half a dozen
Mylar balloons nearly 80 miles offshore. Just last week, staff at the Holgate
Wilderness Area of the Edwin B. Forsyth National Wildlife Refuge picked up over
100 balloons on their beaches! Whether you live on the coast or 1,000 miles
inland, balloons find their way to our oceans and have catastrophic impacts on
our marine wildlife. So please do not release balloons, they are one of the
most destructive forms of pollution to wildlife.

Birders on a pelagic birding trip practicing what they preach and retrieving a Mylar balloon out of the ocean nearly 80 miles offshore. We pulled about 6 balloons out of the water that day, most of which had the message "Happy Mother's Day". [Photo by Margeaux Maerz.]

Our resident, semi-aquatic turtles found closer to land have
their own set of challenges. Diamondback Terrapins are unique in that they are
the only turtle species in the western hemisphere that spends its entire life
in the brackish water of back bays and estuaries. These beautiful,
speckled-blue turtles used to be the main ingredient in Turtle soup but the
popularity of the dish has waned, in large part due to Prohibition and the
inaccessibility of a key ingredient, sherry. Nowadays, these turtles face
threats caused by crab traps and roads.

Though they specialize on eating shelled animals like snails
and mussels, Terrapins will indulge in a variety of foods, including dead fish
and chicken livers (aka crab trap bait). Just like the crabs, the turtles enter
the trap and cannot get out, but unlike crabs, all turtles have lungs and
eventually they drown. In the mid 1990’s, biologists at the Wetlands Institute
in Stone Harbor developed special plastic squares called Terrapin Excluder
Devices (TEDs) that are just the right size and shape to keep medium to large
turtles from entering the traps. Since the implementation of TEDs the amount of
terrapin by-catch in crab traps has been reduced dramatically and has even been
shown to help keep crabs from escaping the traps, so it’s a win-win. In New
Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland it is required by law that all crab traps used
in tidal creeks less than 150 feet wide must be fitted with TEDs.
Unfortunately, this is not the case throughout the entirety of the Terrapin’s
range, so crab trap mortality still poses a large threat in some parts of the
country. In fact, one abandoned trap recovered in a tidal creek on Jekyll
Island, Georgia contained 94 dead Diamondback Terrapins.

A Terrapin Excluder Device (TED) developed by the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ. These required additions dramatically reduce the number of Diamondback Terrapins accidentally caught in crab traps. [Photo courtesy of the Wetlands Institute.]

94 dead Diamondback Terrapins, the contents of one abandoned crab trap found in a tidal marsh on Jekyll Island, Georgia. This was one of about a dozen abandoned traps in that same tidal creek. For a turtle that takes 5-7 years to reach sexual maturity, a loss of this many individuals at once can have catastrophic effects on their population. [Photo by Andrew Grosse.]

Like all turtles, Diamondback Terrapins must lay their eggs
up above the high tide line, if their eggs get inundated, they’ll die.
Unfortunately, the highest part of our salt marshes around here tends to be
roads. Each year, despite signs warning motorist, hundreds of female terrapins
are hit and killed on causeways around Cape May. The fact that road mortality
is skewed to females is a doubly whammy to their population. When it comes to
population ecology, scientists don’t really fret about how many males there are
(sorry guys); they typically only take the female population into account since
they are the ones who determine how many offspring can be produced each year.

A female Diamondback Terrapin getting ready to cross a busy road in order to find suitable nesting habitat. Much of the desirable habitat along salt marshes has been developed for businesses or houses, forcing these turtles to look for places to nest that are extremely dangerous. [Photo by Brian Crawford.]

Roads pose an equally large threat to our native terrestrial
Box Turtles as they do to Terrapins. These turtles can frequently be seen
crossing roads in the springtime or after heavy rains.Box Turtles are small and well camouflaged
so they can be hard to see along roadsides, especially at night. Sadly, a
recent study out of Clemson University showed that a number of drivers would
swerve to intentionally hit rubber dummy-turtles placed in the road. If you do
find a turtle attempting to cross a road you can help them by placing them
safely off to the side of the road they were heading (if you put them back in
the direction they’re coming from they will just try to cross again) but always
be conscious of the safety of you and others on the road. Road mortality,
coupled with taking turtles from the wild for the pet trade, has caused a
dramatic decrease (over 30%) in Box Turtle populations.

An Eastern Box Turtle edges up to the road in an attempt to cross. Roadways frequently cut through these terrestrial turtles home ranges and therefore put these slow-movers into harms way. Please keep an eye out for turtles and help them across by moving them onto to the side of the road in the direction they were heading. [Photo by Todd Pierson.]

Whether it’s Sea Turtles 50 miles offshore, Diamondback
Terrapins along salt marshes, or Box Turtles in your own backyard, these
long-lived and dare I say, adorable, reptiles can be observed all over the
place. Our actions can have unintended consequences that ripple throughout an
ecosystem. So do our shelled-friends a favor and slow down on roads, don’t
release balloons, and help them out of a dangerous situation from time to time.
The turtles and your fellow turtle-lovers thank you!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

This past weekend, naturalists from Cape May Bird
Observatory and the Nature Center of Cape May hosted an event named Birds and
Beers on the Bay by Bike. Starting in Cape May, we biked and birded our way through Cox Hall Creek Wildlife Management Area. We were serenaded by Orchard Orioles, Wood Pewees, and lots of Catbirds as we took a leisurely ride around the WMA before
making our way to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. A handful of Wilson’s Storm-petrels accompanied us along our route to our sister cape and
Delaware greeted us with an unexpected White-winged Scoter. We took a beautiful
ride around Cape Henlopen State Park and over to Gordon’s Pond where Black
Skimmers and Common Yellowthroats were putting on a show.

CMBO Director, David LaPuma, showing off his biking-with-a-spotting-scope skills while biking along Gordon's Pond in Cape Henlopen State Park for the Birds and Beers on the Bay by Bike tour. [Photo by Sam Wilson.]

No birding trip to Delaware would be complete without some
adorably-squeaky Brown-headed Nuthatches, and though the looks were fleeting,
we got them nevertheless. We had to peddle hard up to Rehoboth Beach to stay ahead of
a looming thunderstorm and made it to Dogfish Head Brewery just before the
skies opened up. After some good food and even better beer, we made our way back to
Lewes via the Junction & Breakwater Trail. This spectacular path winds through
old growth forest and wetlands, giving you a sense of being miles away from civilization. Yet, this trail opens into a new, extremely manicured housing development, where native plants have been replaced with non-natives and retention ponds are zig-zagged with wire to keep waterfowl out. It was a stark contrast to the natural places we had been exploring but presented a great opportunity to discuss the landscaping choices we make in our own properties. We would never end on a bad note though, so a relaxing ferry ride brought us back to Cape
May where we capped off the event with a much-deserved Cape May Brewing Company
beer.

Ominous skies looming overhead at Gordon's Pond in Cape Henlopen State Park caused us to peddle faster towards Rehoboth Beach to the promise of shelter (and beer) at the Dogfish Head Brewery. We made it in the nick of time and were inside while Mother Nature gave the rest of the area a drink too. [Photo by Phil LaTourette.]

I discovered that it is not easy (and sometimes dangerous) getting a clear picture while biking, especially after visiting Dogfish Head Brewery! Here are some of our Birds and Beers on the Bay by Bike tour participants taking in the beautiful scenery of the Junction & Breakwater Trail between Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, Deleware. [Photo by Margeaux Maerz.]

Our group of fifteen consisted of a wide range of ages and
experience, from skilled birders to one woman who was afraid of birds. By the
end though, I think we converted most of our new friends to bird lovers! One
reoccurring comment throughout the trip (other than how much they were
learning) was how they never knew these beautiful wildlife places even existed.
As one of our participants Greg noted, “I’ve been living around the corner from
here for years and I never knew Cox Hall Creek was there!” Which got me
thinking, how many people pass by these natural places everyday, complete
unaware of their existence?

Newly-converted bird enthusiast, Solomon, takes a closer look at a perched Blue Grosbeak during one of the stops along a marshy section of Cape Henlopen State Park on the Birds and Beers on the Bay by Bike tour. [Photo by Sam Wilson.]

As an avid birder and all-around nature lover, I am
constantly outside, exploring the natural areas we have throughout the county. Though to be honest, I learned of these
places by word-of-mouth or attending one of our CMBO walks. A visit to one of
our NJ Audubon Centers can provide a wealth of information and maps to natural
areas to go hiking and birding, but what about areas that occur outside the
county or even outside the state? That led me on what I am lovingly referring
to my Search for Natural Areas Around Me
Search Engines! Type in “natural areas around me” into your favorite online
search engine and you will be bombarded by some helpful, but many
not-so-helpful, websites. So, I went through them for you and at the bottom of
this post you will find a compiled list of helpful websites (with links!) to
aid you in your search for places to explore.

There is no shortage of scientific research that suggests
communing with nature can result in a wide range of health benefits from
reducing anxiety and depression symptoms, to increasing Vitamin D and
focus. Just being outside and active, whether it’s biking up the bayshore or
walking the trails of your local park, can release feel-good neurotransmitters
like endorphins and serotonin. Spending time in natural light can also help
normalize your internal clock (circadian rhythm), renewing your eating and
sleeping cycles, and who doesn't need more sleep nowadays? Simply put, being outside is good for you!

So I encourage you to search around the areas you live, or
the areas you like to vacation, and find somewhere to get away from it all. Go
outside, listen to the birds, watch the tides move in and out, and unplug from
the constant bombardment of stress technology grants us. Your mind and body
will thank you. You may even come out of the experience with a whole new
appreciation for the beauty and serenity you can find around your area, even in
your own backyard.

Some helpful links to find natural places and events around
your area.

Unfortunately, NJ Fish & Wildlife does not have search capabilities on their website, but you can use these next two links together to first find a WMA in your county of choice, then locate a road map:

Thursday, June 4, 2015

I never seem to get used to how quickly time can pass. To
think that May, with all the migration and excitement it brings, is over and we
are already a couple days into June is nuts. When you think of June you think
summer and it brings with it the promise of freedom and vacation. The Greenhead
flies are still small, the mid-day heat is still bearable, and the infamous
shore traffic is still minimal. Yes, June is indeed a glorious time here in
Cape May.

I spent the first day of June working on my deck, soaking in
the perfect morning. My yard was teaming with life and in the span of a few hours
I had over 10 species of bird make their way through my yard, including a very
vocal Yellow-billed Cuckoo and a brilliant male Scarlet Tanager. I quickly
became enamored by a pair of Chipping Sparrows nesting in a close Pitch Pine
and watched as they diligently brought back caterpillars, flies, and other
various insects. They would cautiously making their way up the branches and out
to their nest, perfectly camouflaged among a cluster of pinecones. Though I
never saw them, I could here the faint peeps
of their chicks as they begged for the morsel of food. Yes, it was an
incredible way to start the month!

Chipping Sparrow bouncing around the yard. [Photo by Sam Galick.]

So, you can imagine my shock when I walked out onto my porch
Tuesday to give June 2nd a proper welcome and was greeted by a cold,
wet blast. As someone who spent the past 8 years in Georgia, I don’t take
kindly to the cold, especially when it’s supposed to be summer. This week has
seen nearly record lows for the first week of June and I can’t help but worry
for my Chipping Sparrow chicks.

Birds have various methods at their disposal when it comes
to dealing with the cold. Overwintering birds, like American Goldfinches and
Tufted Titmice, can acclimatize to the cold. However, acclimatization requires
a gradual decrease in temperature to allow the bird’s metabolism to actually
slow down, reducing their normally high caloric needs. In other words, it’s not
a useful trick for sudden cold snaps. Like mammals, birds can produce
frictional heat within their muscles by shivering. Also, as you may have
observed, birds will fluff up their feathers when cold. This allows air to be
trapped within the soft down feathers close to the skin of the bird. The air
quickly warms up and acts like a blanket for the bird.

Eastern Kingbird slightly fluffed up in the rain. Depending on how long the rain may last, birds maybe be forced to forage and continue nesting despite the unfavorable conditions. [Photo by Jesse Amesbury.]

All these adaptations work great for adult birds that are
cold, but what about chicks who have no feathers and already have extremely
high energy demands? Shivering, as minimal movement as it is, still requires
energy and nestlings have to put everything they have towards growth and
development. What makes this cold snap even scarier for our young chicks about the
area is that it’s a very wet cold. Anyone who has been caught in a sudden
rainstorm can attest to the fact that being wet and cold is much worse than
just being cold. The risk of hypothermia increases dramatically when you’re
wet, which is why wilderness survival 101 is to stay dry.

For our baby birds, huddling together is a great way to stay
warm, but parents also do a lot to keep them dry and warm. Adults will sit on
their nest even after the eggs have incubated and hatched in an attempt to
shelter their young ones from the harsher elements. Most adult birds will also develop
a brood patch during the nesting season, a feather-less area on their stomachs
to allow direct skin-to-egg or skin-to-chick contact. This area of skin is
chocked full of blood vessels and increases heat transfer from parent to
offspring. Many perching birds only develop one large patch on their stomach,
whereas shorebirds will have two patches, one on either side of their legs. Shorebird
chicks are very precocial, meaning they hatch out of the egg with down
feathers, open eyes, and the ability to run around on comically-large legs and
feet. These chicks will snuggle up underneath Mom and Dad, against those brood
patches, to stay warm and dry. Since some of our chicks are beginning to hatch
on our beaches, you might start noticing fluffy Piping Plovers with extra legs!

Ospreys nesting in Stone Harbor. The female stays on the nest to not only incubate the eggs but help shield them from the rain and wind. [Photo by Travis Davis.]

Digiscoped photo of Piping Plover adult with chick hiding underneath it. Plovers are in the category of shorebirds with two brood patches, one on either side of their legs. [Photo by Lindsey Brendel.]

As I sit here looking out the window at the windy, rainy,
cool weather, I am hoping for sunnier days ahead. Call me a softie if you must,
but I cannot help worrying for the young and vulnerable chicks around our area.
If the forecast holds though, it looks like we are on the tail end of this
less-than-desirable weather and we can get back to summer and the June we all
know and love.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

At first glance, it may seem like we are all about birds
here at the Cape May Bird Observatory, I mean it is in our name and all.
However, all you have to do is join our naturalists on one of our weekly walks
and you’ll soon find out that most of us are all-encompassing nature nerds!
Whether it’s identifying the various shrubs and wildflowers or calling out the
names of dragonflies and butterflies as they whiz by, you’re almost guaranteed
to walk away having learned something that extends past birds. This desire to
share our broad passions with others allows for us to take advantage of the
teaching opportunities that present themselves when we are out in the field. I’ve
always said that one of my favorite aspects of environmental education is the
unexpected, sometimes serendipitous, things that happen when you’re out on
walks. It could be said that if you spend enough time outside, it’s inevitable
that you will witness something really cool, but I think a lot of it just comes
down to luck. Like seeing a falling star, you just have to have your eyes in
the right place, at the right time.

Luck seemed to be on our side last week during a CMBO walk
at the Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows. A large Black Rat snake was
basking along the west path and seemed indifferent to our presence. So, I did
what any good naturalist would, I picked him up and gave an impromptu lesson on
snakes. This large male was very cooperative and downright sweet as I gently
handled him and allowed our guests to take photos and interact with him. Snakes
get a bad rap and it more than likely stems from a combination of social
prejudices and wrong information. In fact, snakes are one of the rare groups of
animals that are facing threats from malicious killings along with the usual
habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, and disease. The truth is that
snakes are typically non-aggressive, fascinating creatures that play a vital
environmental role in controlling prey populations and acting as a prey item themselves
for top predators, including many birds of prey. As someone who has taught
herpetology for many years, getting to share a moment in the field with this
guy was a treat for me!

As we continued our walk through the Meadows, I was still
abuzz with excitement from our new, scaly friend, when someone pointed out a
Great Egret in one of the East pools. He was obviously trying to eat something
rather large and I expected to see a fish or frog when I focused my scope on
him. It was with audible surprise that I found him trying to eat a small
mammal! From what we could see, and knowing the fauna of the Meadows, we
believe he was eating a young Muskrat. Now, I have read of herons and egret
eating mammals and I recall watching a video of a Great-blue Heron catching and
eating a gopher that went viral on social media last year, but never had I
witnessed this spectacle with my own eyes. We stood there, fascinated (and
honestly, a little disturbed) as this egret dunked his prey into the water and
manipulated its orientation a few times before swallowing the critter whole.

Great Egret eating what appears to be a young Muskrat at theSouth Cape May Meadows. [Photo by Margeaux Maerz].

The morning’s excitement left me wondering for the rest of
the day, how much do we miss when we are out in the field? In a time of birding
that is so focused on lists, have we lost the art of passive observation? Animal
behavior is a fascinating subject to ponder but requires a great deal of
patience (and in some cases luck) to experience first hand. So, I encourage you
the next time you’re on a walk, whether it’s with us at CMBO or in your own
back yard to slow down and take your time. Don’t be so quick to identify a bird
and move on to the next, but rather sit and really observe the bird’s behavior.
It’s during moments when you’re quiet and still that animals seem to put on a
show. You may find it liberating to stop worrying about
what's around the next bend in the trail but rather, take time to savior the moment and soak it all in. You just never know what you might see.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

As you explore around Cape May this time of year, it is impossible not to notice the energy that accompanies bringing forth the next generation of birds. From the Purple Martins at the State Park catching insect after insect to fill the many hungry mouths of their chicks, to the Mallards working to keep their brood of ducklings safely together at the South Cape May Meadows. New life is all around us! Parents tirelessly defend territories from potential predators and rival birds to ensure they have the resources to raise their young to fledglings. We hear their gorgeous singing and get to witness their skill and expertise as they build nests. We watch as they sit on eggs and cover young chicks to shield them from predators and the wrath of Mother Nature. In a matter of weeks, we will see parents teaching their little ones how to navigate their habitat and forage for food. We will hear the alarm calls when a predator is near and look around, searching for the danger ourselves. We are saddened by their losses and champion their success, and throughout it all, we watch in awe at their abilities to raise young in such a harsh world.

Prothonotary Warbler setting up a breeding territory at The
Beanery. [Photo by Sam Galick].

In many ways, most birds act as a model of exceptional parental care. The same cannot be said for our other abundantly obvious wildlife this time of year: frogs. The frogs found around Cape May take a much more laissez faire attitude when it comes to taking care of their young (though to be fair, this is hardly the case for all frogs). Males relentless call for mates, and I stress mates for polygyny runs rampant in frog society. The male awkwardly grapples onto the female and the pair will lay and fertilize hundreds of eggs, only to then part ways, never to be seen again by each other or their young. Tadpoles hatch out and find themselves in a harsh, tadpole-eat-tadpole world with no protection from the seemingly endless predators and no watchful parents. All this is leading up to a major metamorphosis where they must survive an entire overhaul to their anatomy and physiology. Maybe this is the bigger picture Kermit was referring to when he claimed, “It’s not easy being green.”

Fowler’s Toads in amplexus. [Photo by Bob Ferguson].

Though the frogs’ style of parenting (or lack there of) may seem harsh, they have a point. As any parent could tell you, raising young is exhausting and taxing, not only on your body but also on your mental state. In fact, there have been multiple ornithological studies that show the number of young raised one year directly affects a bird’s ability to lay eggs and raise young in subsequent years. As parents, birds give a piece of themselves to their young, not just genetically, but through their efforts and dedication. So as you explore your local park, backyard, or even our habitats here in Cape May, take a moment to find animal breeding activity. For whether it’s a highly publicized Bald Eagle nest cam or the American Robin nest in your backyard, we all love to be a witness to the magic of spring and the new life it brings.--Margeaux Maerz, George Myers Naturalist

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Cape May has Red Knots - it's official. Cape May Bird Observatory's Spring Weekend festival has been an awesome event once again and, though those pretty warblers were notably in short supply for us this year, everything else fell into place wonderfully. A quick straw poll of folks that were in town for a wonderful spring weekend drew one clear conclusion as to what the highlight was - the Red Knots. Delaware Bayshore beaches from Norbury's Landing to Reed's Beach, and up along the Cumberland County beaches, were favored by Red Knots yet again. Gone, of course, are the wonderful numbers of the past - as too are the stunning hordes of horeshoecrabs, but numbers are still high enough to impress - and it's all because people care.

A series of headline events in the popular media of late could make one feel that our planet is doomed (and it would be if some had their way!) but, turn the madness of the TV news channels off, ignore the nonsense from certain websites, and go look for yourself. For out on the back bays of New Jersey, Red Knots are here, because people care. Yes, there are those who simply see dollar signs when they look at the natural world, but there are those that are fighting back and there is an army of people who are realizing that we can all do good if we go out and get involved. Here's a photo essay that surely demonstrates - Red Knots are here because people care.

Because People Care - they came to our Spring Weekend Saturday evening event, where keynote speaker and author of 'The Narrow Edge: A Tiny Bird, an Ancient Crab and an Epic Journey', Deborah Cramer, told us of the dedicated people of Argentina who care for Red Knots on the wintering grounds, way, way down in Tierra del Fuego - a place described as the "Uttermost end of the world". Because of these people, there are still Red Knots in the Western Atlantic Flyway - and here are some of them, arriving in New Jersey just a few days ago.

Because People Care - beach replenishment has been carried out along the bayshore after the ravages of hurricane Sandy. The beaches that were replenished can clearly be seen to be the ones now providing breeding opportunities for Atlantic Horseshoecrabs and these, in turn, provide feeding opportunities for Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling and Semipalmated Sandpipers. This was the scene at Cook's Beach on Saturday.

Because People Care - they came to see shorebirds being banded and learn the how, why, where and when of shorebird research. For without that knowledge, how can one make an informed decision? And surely this picture shows that you can never be too young to care about the planet!

Because People Care - they join organizations such as Cape May Bird Observatory, New Jersey Audubon, The American Littoral Society, or The Wetlands Institute. And some, like Pat Perkins here, become life members and give so generously of their time. Here, Pat is about to release a Red Knot that has just provided researchers with valuable information. The Wetlands Institute's Executive Director, Lenore Tedesco, is co-ordinating volunteers in the background.

Because People Care - they queued up for the opportunity to release a Red Knot on its way. From here, this bird will head all the way to Arctic Canada, before turning back south to southern Argentina again in late summer.

Because People Care - this Red Knot is able to continue to the Canadian Arctic, with a fat belly and a good energy supply in the tank for the journey. The application of small and lightweight leg flags allow individual birds to be identified and tracked in the field, without the need to recapture them. Birdwatchers can help with long term projects that study longevity and movements of these birds by noting the coding on the leg flag (together with the flag color) and reporting them on the shorebird banding website. Because we care about birds, we can all help in the process that allows us to understand birds better, such that we are better able to look after them.

Because People Care - they work together for the common good. Research into New Jersey's wildlife involves a consortium of many organizations; organizations that are coming together to form a powerful alliance, but which are nothing without your support. New Jersey residents regularly vote to conserve their open space and keep the Garden State green, and being a member of a conservation organization is all part of that process.